Thomas County cat., 1887-01-20
ROBERT COLLEGE.

ROBERT COLLEGE.
Why Its Bulgarian Graduates Arc Hated
by the Greek Metr0politans.
Much is said about the interest of
England, Austria and Italy, and even
Germany, in the efforts of the Bulgari-
ans after independence, and the mani
festatiOn of that interest in more or less
pronounced expressions of sympathy
and approval. But the matter is seldom
presented as having special interest for
Americans.
We pointed out some weeks ago that
as number of the most influential
young men in Bulgaria had been edu-
Gated in Robert College, Constantine
pie, by American missionaries, the pres
cnt movement must be looked upon as
the working out of American ideas of
liberty in that far-distant land. and cer-
tainly America has no reason to be
ashamed of her offspring. Never was
the cause of human freedom upheld
with more dignity and moderation, and
seldom with more steadfast devotion.
The loyalty to their country's cause of
the Bulgarian patriots has not yet been
tried so severely as that of other patri-
OTIS in other ages, but so far as can be
judged from their past conduct and
present attitude there seems no reason
to doubt that while they will not. if
they can help it. plunge their country
into bloody and hopeless war, they
will do and dare any thing that may
offer reasonable hope of success.
"a Russian" writing to the Indc-
pendent, gives some very interesting
information with regard to the influ-
ence of Robert College on Bulgaria. He
quotes from the Constantinople cores
pondent of the Novoe Vremya, leading
Russian newspaper. who tries to black
en- the fair fame of Robert College by
pretending that it is mere tool of
English politicians.
The correspondent says that over six
hundred Bulgarians have been educated
in Robert College, and that number
of these now occupy prominent posi-
tions in their native land for instance,
Demitroff, Prefect of PhilippopOlis
Grckoff, ex-Minister, and Gneschoff,
who, according to him, is the English
candidate for the throne. he further
says that these men are Protestants.
and that it is the Protestant element in
Bulgaria which will give Russia the
most trouble.
"a Russian" also quotes from an
interview with the Exarch (head of
the Greek Church in Bulgaria). by
correspondent Of the Nouoe Fremya.
The Exarch complains bitterly that
since the partial emancipation of Bull
garia the salaries of Metropolitans had
been reduced from 1900 or $1,000
francs to 5000 francs, also that even
the clergymen are placed under the
control of '.this horrible constitution"
and he expresses the earnest desire that
''Russia should take us at Jnce under
her powerful protection concluding
with the demand that the clergy
be supported, theological scminaries
opened, and ''above all'' that the press
be bridled.
1t is evident from the above tbct
religious as well as civil liberty is at
stake in the struggle now going on.
The Russian Government is the most
despOtic in the world in religious as
well as in civil matters, and as "a Rus
sian" remarks: at is easy to foresee
what policy would be inaugurated in
Bulgaria in case the Russian Govern
ment should triumph in that country"
No nobler monument to American
liberty could be imagined than the free
dom of noble people secured chiefly
through the agency of men who have
sat at the feet of American teachers
and learned from them the true princi-
pies of liberty.-N. Y. H1tncss.